Thursday, February 10, 2022
Dear Friend ,

Every February, we honor the contributions of Black Americans who have helped shape our nation as part of Black History Month.

As the first African American man ever elected to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, I understand the importance of acknowledging, studying, and learning from our past so that we can continue to build a better future.

The County has several activities to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of Black leaders throughout Black History.

Also, please join me tomorrow at 7pm for an online Celebration of Black History Month.

The program will include community leaders, guest speakers, and entertainers who will explore the past, present, and future while honoring the Black community in Fairfax County. 

The program can be viewed live on Channel 16 or via live stream: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/cableconsumer/channel-16/stream

View on-demand at fairfaxcounty.gov/cable beginning Monday, Feb. 14.
HAPPENING TODAY: Lake Accotink Dredging Assessment Virtual Meeting
For those who reside near Lake Accotink, Fairfax County’s consultant, Arcadis, prepared a report detailing the options available for the location of dredge staging and sediment process and the placement of temporary pipelines.

The next critical step is obtaining community involvement in reviewing the new information and selecting options for the dredging operation. This project could have a direct impact on your community.

The Lake Accotink Dredging Assessment Virtual Public Meeting will be held TODAY, Thursday, February 10th, at 7pm.

Register for the Lake Accotink Dredging Assessment Virtual Meeting and submit comments: https://publicinput.com/A6435


The Lake Accotink dredging project will remove an estimated 500,000 cubic yards of sediment to reestablish lake depth and implement a maintenance dredging program to sustain water quality in Accotink Creek and aesthetic and recreational benefits for county residents.

I hope to see you there.
Please contact my office if we can assist you:
Email: leedist@fairfaxcounty.gov 
Phone 703-971-6262
-Rodney
Table of Contents
  1. January Board Matter Recap
  2. Supervisor Lusk in the News
  3. LEGO Discovery Center Coming to Springfield Town Center!
  4. Notary Services Now Available at Supervisor Lusk's Office
  5. Historical Marker Project
  6. Sharing the Love This Valentine's Day
  7. Spanish Captioning Comes to Channel 16
  8. Community Post: Spring Break and Summer Camps for Students
  9. Fairfax County Villages 20-Year Anniversary
  10. Supervisor Lusk In the Community
  11. Beat the Rush - Start Permit Applications Now for Spring
  12. Low-Cost Vaccination and Microchip Clinics
  13. Mobile COVID Testing Lab in Springfield
January Board Matter Recap
Did you miss the 6-hour-long January 25th Board meeting? Watch my Board Matter Recap and get caught up!

The video covers my Board Matters and remarks around:
✅ (00:10) Update on the Lee District Community Center (Motion to approve application)
✅ (2:58) Board Matter to improve the County's car seat installation program.
Supervisor Lusk in the News
Hiring Begins For New Golf Facility At Former Kingstowne Topgolf: https://patch.com/virginia/kingstowne/hiring-begins-new-golf-facility-former-kingstowne-topgolf

My statement regarding the former Kingstowne Top Golf location:

"After extensive community outreach, including a community design meeting, as well as months of engagement with the owner of the Top Golf site; Commissioner [Dan] Lagana and I made the decision to indefinitely defer the owner's current application for redevelopment," said Lusk. "I understand that the owner has expressed a desire to recommence previous uses on the site, to include golf activities and a restaurant. If there are any developments related to their current redevelopment application or a future application, I look forward to reengaging the owner and community to determine what the future of this site will be."

'A focus on social and racial equity': Fairfax Co. considers renaming 5 election districts:
"7News reached out to Supervisor Rodney Lusk, who represents the Lee District and has held several town hall discussions on the district's name over the past year."

"I support Chairman Mckay's action to extend the work of the Redistricting Advisory Committee to consider any name changes that the community deems appropriate," Lusk said in an emailed response to 7News. "As I have said continuously to my constituents, any dialogue or action regarding the future name of our district must involve our entire community."

"There's a perception that this district is named after the Lee family. I think that perception does cast some questions about the name of the district," Lusk said during the last town hall he hosted in October of 2021. "You know, I think we have to be conscious of that."

"I deeply value community input and residents' personal stories about how the "Lee District" name affects them. I look forward to reviewing the advisory committee's recommendations," Lusk said.

The addition of Lego Discovery “is sure to drive additional economic development, attract a broader array of tourists to our county, and provide a valuable amenity for our residents,” Fairfax County Supervisor Rodney Lusk, D-Lee, said in a statement. There are currently 14 Legoland Discovery Centers in the United States — the closest is in Philadelphia — and 13 overseas.


Nalls Produce Recognized By County Board For 60th Anniversary

Lee District Supervisor Rodney Lusk agreed the business is a community gathering space, especially given Penny the Pig's popularity in the community.

"I just appreciate that you've been able to keep that asset in our community," said Lusk. "Thinking through, there's been so much development all around you, and you guys the last kind of bastion of the solace there, and I want to commend you for being able to make sure Nalls continues operations."
LEGO Discovery Center Coming to Springfield Town Center!
Welcome to Lee District LEGO! LEGO Discovery Center is coming to Springfield Town Center in 2023! The massive indoor LEGO playground will be greater Washington's very first location.


The Legoland Discovery Center at the Springfield Town Center will provide families with countless hours of fun. There are 14 Legoland Discovery Centers in the United States, this will be the first in our region.

I look forward to visiting in 2023!
Notary Services Now Available at Supervisor Lusk's Office
Are you in need of free notary services? Call or email my office to schedule an appointment to have my staff notarize your documents! 

Email: leedist@fairfaxcounty.gov
Phone: 703-971-6262

Please bring a valid government-issued photo ID and all the pages of the document(s) being signed, not just the signature page, with you when you visit.

A notary public is someone the state has appointed to authenticate legal documents and verify the identity of the document’s signer(s). Notaries can be individuals such as lawyers or government officials.

Notarization (the process of getting your document signed by a notary public) helps prevent fraud by ensuring individuals authenticate their documents before they can be used. It can also help confirm that the signer intended to sign the document and wasn’t pressured into doing so (e.g. through undue influence, coercion, or duress, etc.), similar to signing your document in front of a witness.
Historical Marker Project
Last year, FCPS announced it was partnering with the Board of Supervisors to host the inaugural Fairfax County Historical Marker Project. The project’s purpose is to reveal narratives and oral histories of Fairfax County’s African American communities, whose rich history, culture, and accomplishments are underrepresented in our history books.

As part of the Historical Marker Project, students will focus on skills, such as communication and collaboration, by engaging in inquiry to recognize the voices, experiences, and achievements of Black Americans from Fairfax County.


Sharing the Love This Valentine's Day
My office is partnering with the De Lune Corp, Esbenshade Farms, United Community, and the Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce for a "Sharing the Love initiative" for Valentine's Day.

With the help of our partners, we will be giving away high-quality eggs, milk, and pulses to 1,000 deserving families in Northern Virginia, many of whom are still struggling from the wide-ranging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you or someone you know is experiencing food insecurity, please join us at one of the locations this Monday, February 14th. All are welcome!

Contact my office if you have any questions.
Spanish Captioning comes to Channel 16
Beginning February 8, 2022, Fairfax County Government Channel 16 will provide Spanish closed captioning for all public meetings and live events. Public meetings that will be captioned in Spanish include the Board of Supervisors meetings, Board of Supervisor Committee meetings, and meetings of the Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals. Other live events such as the annual Mount Vernon Town Meeting, District Budget Town Halls, and Public Safety press conferences will be closed captioned in Spanish as well. Closed captioning for these meetings and live events will be available whether the public is watching on cable television or on the live stream. Channel 16 first introduced English closed captioning for programming in 1986 with the Board of Supervisors meetings. This service is now expanded for increased access and engagement with the County’s Spanish-speaking public.  
 
Web pages have been developed in English and Spanish to help promote the new service.
 
Fairfax County Government Channel 16 can be accessed:
·         Watch: Fairfax County Government Channel 16 (Channel 1016 on Cox and Channel 16 on Verizon and Comcast)
·         Stream: Fairfax County Web site at https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/cableconsumer/channel-16/stream
·         Listen: Audio Line at 703-324-7700
·         Follow: Twitter @fairfaxtv16
For more information, please contact Channel 16 at 703-324-5930, TTY 711.
Community Post: Spring Break and Summer Camps for Students
Traveling Players provides an outstanding theatre experience for young adults that will contribute to their maturity and foster a lifelong love of both theatre and the outdoors while meeting rigorous artistic and educational standards. Among our unique attributes is the opportunity for all students to emulate their minstrel forebears by going on tour. 

This ranges from appearances at local theatre festivals to overnight camping trips with a performance at a regional hospital, library, senior center, or park. Advanced students tour for one to two weeks, camping and performing outdoors in beautiful and historic places, like The Madeira School, Riverbend Park, and Colonial Williamsburg.
More information:
Spring Classes
In Person – Spring Break Camp
Virtual – Improv D&D

Day Camp @ Tysons Corner Center
Sleep Away Camps & Conservatoires by audition 

Greek Theatre Festival – March 12-20 in Tysons Corner Center
Ariadne’s Thread – Ages 6+
The Odyssey – Ages 8+
Hecuba – Ages 12+


Live Far Away? Audition Virtually! Rolling through Feb 18

Dionysian Festival: March 12, 13, 19, & 20
Fairfax County Villages 20-Year Anniversary
In the Community
Speaking with students and staff at the Edison High School Open House.
Listening as a teacher gives an overview of his electrician class.
Attending a Martin Luther King church service with Congressman Connolly, Town of Vienna Mayor Colbert, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Vienna, Dr. Vernon C. Walton, Delegate Keam, and Vienna Councilmember Ray Brill.
Visiting Alexandria's 311 Customer Service Center to learn about how Fairfax County can adopt similar services for our residents.
Reviewing Alexandria's Customer Service's online interface.
Group photo after speaking with this year's Leadership Mount Vernon-Lee class.
Speaking with residents after a Harmony Place Land Use meeting.
Beat the Rush - Start Permit Applications Now for Spring
Permit applications increase every spring for popular projects such as decks, screened porches and pools.

Many of these projects require homeowners or contractors to submit architectural plans and plats as part of the permit application. Higher volumes of applications increase wait times for permit processing. Obtain your permit now and avoid the rush. Our Land Development Services department has many resources available online to make your permit process go as smoothly as possible.

The most popular spring projects requiring permits are:

Plan to get your permit now or in the coming weeks and avoid the expected rush: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news/beat-rush-start-permit-applications-now-spring-home-improvement-projects
Low-Cost Vaccination and Microchip Clinics
FEBRUARY CLINIC INFORMATION:
  • Pre-registration required!
  • Time: 9am-1pm, Sunday, February 20
  • Location: 4500 West Ox Road, Fairfax, VA 22030
  • Services: Rabies Vaccine ($20), DA2PP (Dog Distemper) Vaccine ($15), FVRCP (Cat Distemper) Vaccine ($15), Microchip Implantation ($20) - CASH OR CHECK ONLY.
  • This is a curbside clinic, and pet owners must remain in their car while shelter staff walk/carry pets into the building to receive services and then return your pets to your car.
  • Only one-time slot is required per car – we will see all of your pets (cats, dogs, and ferrets) during your time slot!
  • All humans must wear masks. If you do not have a mask, one will be provided to you.


REGISTRATION PROCESS:
  • Pre-registration is required, by signing up for a specific time slot here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0845ADAF2AA3F49-february
  • After you select a time slot, within one business day shelter staff will email you a registration form, to be filled out by the pet owner and then emailed back.
  • You must return the registration form within 48 hours to keep your appointment slot. If your pet has a previous rabies or distemper vaccination, you must send us a photo or scanned copy of your pet’s previous vaccination certificate(s) along with your registration form.
  • Once we receive your completed registration form (and previous vaccination certificates, if applicable), you will receive a confirmation email with details and instructions for your appointment date/time.
 
PLEASE NOTE THESE CLINIC REMINDERS:
  • We can only accept cash or check.
  • Dogs, cats, and ferrets may be vaccinated at the clinics. (Ferrets can only receive the rabies vaccination.)
  • Dogs must be on fixed (not flexi/extendable) leashes; cats and ferrets must be in carriers.
  • You must reserve a day/time slot first, and then you will receive an email with a registration form prior to your selected clinic date. The form must be returned to the Shelter via email within 48 hours to hold your appointment slot, along with your pets' most recent rabies certificate if you wish to receive a 3-year vaccine. After we have received your registration form you will get a confirmation email.
  • All pets will receive a 1-year rabies vaccination. To obtain a 3-year vaccine, please provide your pet's rabies certificate (not tag) showing the current rabies vaccination expiration date.
  • We will have 2022 county dog license applications and addressed envelopes will be provided to dog owners, so the application and fee can be mailed to DTA. If dog owners wish to purchase a dog license day-of, they may enter the Animal Shelter and speak with a staff member after receiving the rabies certificate for their dog(s) at the low-cost clinic.
Mobile COVID Testing Lab in Springfield
Richard Byrd Library
Address: 7250 Commerce St, Springfield, VA 22150
Dates: Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Time: 9:00am-3:00pm
Fairfax County COVID-19 Resources
COVID-19:
Contact our Health Department COVID-19 Call Center during business hours Monday-Friday at 703-267-3511.

Text FFXCOVID to 888777 to receive updates from Fairfax County about COVID-19; text FFXCOVIDESP to 888777 for updates in Spanish.

Email questions or concerns to ffxcovid@fairfaxcounty.gov. This email account will be staffed Monday through Friday, 8 am-4:30 pm.


Follow @fairfaxcounty and @fairfaxhealth on Twitter.

For regular updates, continue to follow the following trusted sources:

Rodney L. Lusk
Lee District Supervisor
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